


Silly Skip

by finnemoreshusband



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-15
Updated: 2013-02-15
Packaged: 2017-11-29 08:11:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/684744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/finnemoreshusband/pseuds/finnemoreshusband
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin knows it's ridiculous, but he can't stop thinking about Arthur calling Herc 'Skip'.  So he decides to ask him about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silly Skip

Martin was preparing to leave the plane. He stood, straightening his coat and hat, waiting for Arthur by the door.

Thankfully, he was the first of the other three to make his way out. "Oh, Hi, Skip. You on your way out?"

"Hello, Arthur. Yes, I'm headed home for the evening..." Martin answered. "But, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything."

"Did you..." He locked eyes with the steward, seeing nothing but sincerity there. "Well, when Herc was... oh, never mind. It's silly."

Arthur shook his head. "Nothing you say is silly, Skip. _That_ sounded a bit silly though. Silly Skip." He giggled a bit and his own smile broadened when Martin's lips parted slightly in a laugh.

"Really, though. It's not a big deal." Martin's smile faltered a bit as he turned to walk away.

"Are you upset because I called Herc 'Skip'?"

Martin cringed before turning back to his friend. "I... I _really_ want to say no, because it's a stupid thing to be upset over. I don't know why it bothers me. It's not important. There are thousands of Skippers out there. It _shouldn't_ bother me."

"If it helps," Arthur offered, "it bothers me too."

"What? Then why..."

"I've always known there was a possibility of losing you, Martin. I may not be very bright but I did know it was more likely to lose you to another job than MJN folding. Sooner or later, whether it would be Douglas or someone else... well I knew eventually I'd have a new captain."

Martin felt his heart drop into his stomach. "...Oh." Did he really worry about it that much?

"Yeah," Arthur got a small frown on his lips. "So I thought, this could be good practice, you know? Maybe if I practiced calling someone else 'Skipper', I'd be able to get used to it faster."

"And?" Martin wondered. "How did that go for you?"

"I didn't like it at all. I mean, I know I'll have to get used to a new captain. And I can do that. I can. It's just... I won't be calling anyone else 'Skip'. It doesn't feel right, and..."  
"It's okay, you don't have to explain. Is it awful say I'm glad?"

"No, it's not awful. I want you to be glad. That's all the three of us want for you, Martin, is for you to be happy. And if this new job would make you happy, then I can handle a new captain."

"That's just the thing, though," Martin explained. "Your mother is never going to find another captain who will fly for free. And if I take this other job... well, it starts in a month, Arthur. Just one month. Do you know what that means? It means if I leave, MJN only has one more month of life. I can't... I don't want to be the reason why your mother loses her business."

"You do realise she's been prepared for that for over a year, right?"

"What?"

Arthur nodded. "Yeah. She's ready, has all the legal stuff in order. She updates it every so often, of course, but... she's just been waiting on you. She knows what's going to happen when you leave, and she's ready for it. If Mum was one for thanking people, she'd probably thank you for sustaining MJN as long as you have."

"I don't think..."

"MJN has only lasted this long because of you. And Mum is not going to hold it against you for leaving. I promise."

"...Alright. Okay. I... thank you. I'll think about it."

"Good. I'll see you, Martin." Arthur stepped out of GERTI.

Martin was no closer to finding his answer. But he was closer to accepting whatever it would come to be.


End file.
